Casing head



.i Dec. .'22, 1942. A. .1. PENICK 'Er AL CASING HEAD Filed Feb. 17, 19412 Sheets-Sheet l f wmwmmw 3mm/tm, Aer/fuk d PEN/cn /ey Z' PEN/czPatented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE cAslNG HEAD Arthur J.Penick and Kirby T. Penick, Houston, Tex.

Application February 17, 1941, seria1N.379,224

7 Claims.

This invention relates to av casing head and more particularly to anovel type of sealing means between the casing head and an inner pipethrough the head.

An objectof the invention is to provide a novel type of seal ringadapted to be arranged between an outer head and an inner pipe throughthe head, said seal ring being expansible so as to form a Huid-tightjoint between the seal ring and the head as Well as between the sealring and the inner pipe.`

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of seal ringshaped to be located between outer and inner parts, said seal ring beingexpansible and being of such formation as to form seals between it andsaid outer and inner parts when the seal ring is expanded.

More specifically the invention relates to a novel type of expansiblemetallic seal ring having external annular ribs with means for expandingthe seal ring.

The invention also embodies means for testing the outer and inner sealsfor leakage.

With the above andl other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of partsand use, examples of which are given in this specication and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the assembly partly in section.

YFigure 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view.

Figure 4 shows a side elevation, partly in section, of another,embodiment of the assembly.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view showing the typeof seal ring shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 shows an enlarged, sectionalview of another embodiment of the seal ring, and

Figure 7 shows an enlarged, sectional view ol still another embodiment.1

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the figures the .numeral Idesignates an outer casing in the well attached to the upper end ofwhich there is a casing head 2 which is formed with the insidedownwardly tapering seat 3 and which is provided With outflow lines asIl beneath said seat.

On the seat 3 are the slips 5 which are shown in three sections althougha greaterA or less number of sections may be employed. These slipsections are bolted together, by the bolts 6, around the inner pipe 1and when the pipe is lowered through the casing head .2,.as hereinafterexplained, the slips will land on the seat 3 and will be suiiicientlycontracted by the seat so as 'to be in secure gripping relation with thepipe 1. The upper end of this pipe terminates above,

the casing head as shown in Figure l.

Surrounding the upper end of the inner well pipe 'I and tting closelybetween it and the inside of the casing head 2; there is a seal ring 8.This is preferably a continuous ring. Itis supported upon the upper endsof the slips 5 and is preferably formed of metal.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 3 the seal ring is preferably formedwith external and internal annular grooves 9 and I0 with interveningexternal and internal annular ribs II and I2 between said grooves;

As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3 the pipe supporting slips 5 alsohave the insidevteeth to engage the inner pipe.

In a preferred form of the invention the seal ring 8 has an inside,deep, annular groove I3 extending entirely around it. The bottom of thegroove .is preferably enlarged, or ared each way as indicated at I4.This groove is preferably lled with a deformable material such as I5.This lling material, or core, I5 may be formed of lead or other suitabledeformable material.

The upper side of the seal ring as thus formed has a V-groove I6extending entirely around it said V-groove extending also into the coreI5.

An annular wedge ring I'I is fitted into this V-groove and is preferablyformed with a 'at' upper surface having an annular seat 4I8 therearound.

The upper end of the casing head 2 ls formed with an external annularange I9.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure l, a

tubing head 20 is mounted on the casing head having the lower end flange2| which is bolted to the casinghead flange by means of the bolts 22.

Bolted onto the upper end ofthe tubing head there may be provided asuitable connection 23 for the mounting of the christmas tree thereon. Atubing 24 issuspended from-the tubing head by means of a suitable hanger25 which is seated in a downwardly tapering seat 26 in the tubing headand which may be held ldown byf suitable lockdown screws as 21 threadedthrough the tubing head.

The tubing head is also provided with outflow lines 28 beneath thehanger.l l

port for the inner pipe 1. The seal ring assembly, as illustrated inFigures l and 3, may then be fitted within the casing head around theinner pipe 1 and seated on the slips. The tubing head may then bemounted in place with an annular gasket 29 seated in the groove I8 andin a registering groove 30 in the lower end of the tubing head. When thetubing head is bolted in place, pressure will be applied through thegasket 29 to the wedge ring I1 and through said wedge ring to the sealring causing the seal ring to expand to bring the ribs II, I2 into closecontact with the inner wall of the casing head and the external surfaceof the pipe 1, respectively, thus forming tight seals. The deformablematerial I5 when placed under pressure will assist in the expansion ofthe seal ring. 'I'he groove I3 is of such depth as to cause the sealring to be expansible approximately throughout its vertical thickness sothat approximately al1 of the outside and inside ribs II and I2 will beforced into sealing relationship with the casing head and inner pipe,respectively, thus forming a very efficient seal.

Fluid under pressure passing upwardly through the pipe 1 into the tubinghead will, therefore, not nd its way back between the casing and theinner pipe 1.

Before the installation is completed, however,

it may be desirable. to test the seals. For that purpose a channel ,3|`leads through the seal ring from its outer surface to its inner surfaceand the outer end of this ch-annel is in registration with a radialchannel 32 through the.

flange I9 of the casing head.. A tubular connection 33 is screwed intothe outer end of the channel 32 and its outer end is provided with aconnection 34 by means of which a pump or pressure line may be connectedto the connec' tion 33. Fluid under pressure may be admitted through thechannels 32, 3I so as to test both the outer and inner seals forleakage. The connection 33 is provided with a suitable pressure gage 35for an obvious purpose.

When the seals have been tested the connection 33 may be detached andthe installation of the well head completed.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 there is a tubular casing head2a mounted on the upper end of the casing I and having an annular insideseat 3a upon which the inside ring 36 is located through whichV theinside pipe 1a extends. In this type' of assembly the christmas tree orother ow connections may be mounted directly upon the upper end of thepipe 1a. Within the casing head 2a and supported on the ring 38 there isthe seal ring 3a whose external construction is approximately .the sameas that of the seal ring 3 and which may contain the annular core I5 ofsoft metal. 'I'he seal ring 8a closely surrounds the inner pipe 1a andsaid ring has the V-groove `lia to receive the wedge ring I1a.

A gland 31 is fitted within the upper end Inf the casing head 2a againstthe wedge ring Bolts 38 are secured to the upper end of the casing head2a and extend through a top flange 39 of the gland and are outwardlythreaded to receive the clamp nuts 4l whereby the gland GII may beclamped in place and pressure applied against the wedge ring I1ato'cause the flow of the deformable material I5 and the expansion of theseal ring so that its outer and inner ribs IIa and I2a will be forcedinto sealing relationship with the inside of the tubing head 2a and theoutside of the pipe 1a so as to form fluidtight seals therewith.

Referring to Figure 6 the seal ring is indicated by the numeral 8b. Inthis form the central portion of the ring may be formed of deformablematerial I5a which may be composed of lead or other suitable deformablematerial. One end of this type of ring is formed with the V- groove Iiato receive the wedge I'Ia as shown also in Figure 5. The lower end ofthe seal ring 8b is also formed with an annular V-groove I6b. When thisform of seal ring is used, the supporting ring 36a is formed to conformto the shape of it to nt closely in the groove I6b thus forming` also awedge ring.

In. the embodiment illustrated in Figure 'I the seal ring 8c has theradial outwardly extended channels 4I and the inwardly extended channels42 which terminate in outer and inner annular grooves 43,. 44, In thisform the deformable material I5b extends through the channels 4I, 42 andinto, and fills, the grooves 4'3, 44

so as to form annular lead seals' to form very close fitting seals toprevent leakage and furthermore4 when the seal ring 8c is employed thedeformable material [5b when subjected to compression will flow outthrough the channels 4I, 42 and force the lead seals 43, 44 into closecontact with the casing head 2a and pipe 1a, respectively, thus formingvery effective iluid'tight seals. l

The seal ring will be forced into such close-fitting relation with thecasing head and with the inside pipe that it will not be necessary toweld said ring to either the casing head or to the pipe to formfluid-tight seals as is now sometimes practiced. Furthermore, the sealring being formed of metal, will not be liable to deteriorate and permitleakage as would be the case were rubber or other similar packingmaterial used.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broadprinciple of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A pipe seal for a well head having a pipe therein, including a rigidseal ring between the head and pipe having a -soft metal core and havingan annular groove therein and a wedge ring in the groove and means forapplying pressure to the wedge ring to expand the core and therebyexpand the seal ring into sealing relationship with the head and withthe pipe approximately throughout the vertical length of the seal ring.

2. A pipe sealfor a well head having a pipe suspended therein, includinga metallic seal ring between the head and pipe formed of metal andhaving an annular core of deformable material and also having an annulargroove, a wedge ring in the groove and means for applying pressure tothe wedge ring and to the core to expand the latter to cause the seal'ring to be forced into sealing relationship with the head and with thepipe.

3. In a device of the character described, a metal seal ring having acore of deformable material and means for applying endwise compres'-sion to the seal ring and core to cause expansion of said ring outwardlyand contraction thereof enclwardly. n

4. In a device of the character described, a metal seal ring havingV-grooves and wedge rings in said grooves whereby upon the applicationof endwise pressure to the wedge rings, the seal ring will be expandedoutwardly and contracted inwardly.

5. In a device of the character described, a seal ring having a core ofdeformable material and having external and internal annular grooves andhaving channels through which said material may ow into said grooves,said seal ring having an annular, approximately V-shaped groove, a wedgering in the groove to cause expansion of the seal ring and the flow ofsaid deformable material through said channels upon the application ofendwise pressure to the seal ring.

6. A pipe seal for a well head having a. pipeV suspended thereinincluding a seal ring of rigid material between the head and pipe, saidseal ring having an external annular groove and an internal annulargroove and a channel connecting said grooves, means for expanding theseal ring outwardly and for contracting it inwardly to form a sealbetween the ring and head and a. seal between the ring and pipe. Y

'7. A pipe seal for a well head having a pip suspended thereincomprising a, metal seal ring having external and internal annular ribs,a core of deformable material in the seal ring and means for applyingendwise compression to the seal ring and core to cause expansion of thering outwardly and contraction thereof inwardly to form a plurality ofmetal to metal seals Abetween the ring and pipe and between the ring andhead.

ARTHUR J. PENICK. KIRBY T. PENICK.

